Connector for bracelets, wrist watch straps, etc.



9v., i948. Y v J. KRElsLER 2,453,993

, coNNEcToRFcR BRAcELETs, wRIsT WATCH STRAPS, E'rc.

Filed March 16, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. -7'4 favs: /Rs/ne eTTORN E Y.

Nov. 16, 1948. J. KRElsLER .2,453,993

CONNECTOR FOR BRACELETS, WRIST WATCH STRAPS, ETC.

Filed March 16. 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. .Tm-aufs Kes/use T TORNE Y.

Patented Nov. 16, 1948 CONNECTOR FOR BRACELETS, WRIST WATCH STRAPS, ETC.

Jacques Kreisler, New Rochelle, N. Y., assigner to Jacques KreislerManufacturing Corporation, North Bergen, N. J.

Application March 1.6, 1945, Serial No. 583,156

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a connector or lock for bracelets, wrist watchstraps, etc., or for other articles of jewelry or personal wear. Theinvention relates also to end-connecting members for bracelets, wristwatch straps, etc.

One object of the present invention is to provide a connector or lockwith a plurality of locking members constructed and arranged to improvethe securement of the releasable attachable part of the bracelet orother article provided with the connector and to facilitate the intendedattachment or detachment of the attachable part to and from theconnector.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a connector or lockhaving one or more locking members held by spring means in eitherlocking or releasing position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a connector or lock withinner and outer locking members which have such predetermined relativepositions in the releasing or retracted positions thereof that theattachable part of the article provided with the connector or lock canbe easily applied to and removed from the connector.

Another object is to provide end-connecting members of improvedconstruction for bracelets, wrist watch straps, etc., particularlyend-connecting members which provide for the resilient expansion of thebracelet or strap on the wearers wrist.

A yet further object of the invention is generally to provide aconnector or lock of improved construction and operation, particularlywith respect to the safety afforded by the connector or lock and withrespect to facilitating the attachi ment and detachment of theattachable part to and from the connector by the wearer of the articleprovided with said connector or lock.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will be fully understood from the following description,reference being had to the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a connector embodying Fig. 4 is a sectionalview of the connector, the locking members being in their retractedpositions;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fie. 2;

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the several parts of theconnector or lock embodying the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is shown in Fig. 1 abracelet or wrist watch strap B provided with a connector or lock Iiiembodying the present invention. The opposite ends of bracelet B areprovided with the end-connecting members I2 and I4, respectively, whichare of the same construction. One of these end-connecting members, hereshown as member I2, is permanently secured to lock I while the otherend-connecting member, here shown as member I4, is the attachable partwhich is releasably secured in the lock or connector I3.

Referring now more particularly to the construction of the connector orlock I0, the latter is formed of sheet metal or other suitable materialand comprises a holding member I5 which is open at the top and has abottom I S. Said bottom I8 is preferably curved longitudinally toconform to the wearers wrist, the outer surface of said bottom beingconcave and the inner surface thereof being convex. Holding member I6 isprovided with an end portion 2li which is curved or bent around andthereby secured to the cross bar 22 of the end-connecting member I2.Small lateral projections 24 are provided on bottom I8 adjacent thesecuring end portion 20 thereof in position to engage end-connectingmember I2 for limiting the relative pivotal movement between saidend-connecting member and the holding member I6 of the lock. Theopposite end of holder I6 is provided with integral upvstanding ears 26having registering openings 28 for a pivot pin 3B which is securedtherein. Inner and outer locking members 32 and 34, respectively, arepivotally mounted on pin 35, said inner and outer locking members beingprovided with apertured ears 36 and 3B, respectively. Ears 36 of theinner locking member 32 are disposed at their inner sides of ears 26 ofholding member I6, while ears 38 of the outer locking member aredisposed at the outer sides of said ears 25. Outer locking member 34 isprovided with a curved end or lip 40 which has a releasable snapengagevment with the end 20 of holding member I6 for positively securingsaid outer locking member 34 in its projected or locked position. Theinner locking member 32 is held releasably inits projected or lockedposition by engagement at its side edges with the inwardly bent upperportions 42 of the lugs 44 which are integral with and in upstandingrelation to the bottom I8 of holding member I6. Outer locking member 34is provided with an integral struck-out finger piece 45, and innerlocking member y32 is provided with an integral nger piece 47 projectingfrom the free edge thereof.

It will be noted that the inner and outer locking members 32 and 34 aremounted for pivotal movement on a common pivot provided by the pivot pinand that said locking members lie closely adjacent each other in theprojected or locking positions of said locking members (Fig. 3) and inthe retracted or releasing position of said locking members (Fig. 4).Thus, when the inner and outer locking members are in their retracted orreleasing positions, the attachable part or end-connecting member I4 canbe easily attached to and removed from the lock. More particularly asshown the end-connecting member I4 has a cross bar 46 which is spacedfrom a companion .part 48 and denes therewith an opening 5! (Fig. 1)through which the inner and outer locking members 32 and 34 aremovable-for attaching and releasing the attachable part ofend-connecting member I4 with respect to the lock. Cross bar 46 ispositioned between ears 26 and lugs 44', as illustrated-in Fig. 3, whenreceived in holder i6 of the lock. Accordingly when the inner and outerlocking members are in their projected or locking positions, bar 46 Aofthe attachable part of end-connecting kmember I4 is securely heldagainst unintended disengagement from holder I5 of the lock.

In accordance with the present yinvention provision is made for holdingthe inner and outer locking members in predetermined relation in theretracted or releasing positions thereof, illustrated in Fig. 4, wherebyto facilitate the attachment and detachment of the attachable -part ofend-connecting member I4 with respect to .lock I0. For this purposeholder I6 of the ylock or connector is lprovided with spring means .here

shown -as -a flat spring 52 which .is positioned on the bottom I8 ofholder I6 at the inner side thereof. Flat spring 52 is curvedlongitudinally and lies in holder I6 with the convex curvedsurfaceabutting the inner convex curved surface of bottom .58. Spring 52 Vissecuredin this position and relation by the engagement Vof the inneredge 54 of end portion 20 of the holder with the end portion 56 of thespring. Spring 52 is provided with cut outs 58 (Fig. 6) in its oppositeside edges, and lugs 24 are positioned in said cut outs, thus preventingmovement of'spring 52 longitudinally and laterally of the holder I6.longitudinally extending slits 6E] disposed `.in laterally spacedrelation are -providedin the -end .portion-of the spring which ispositioned adjacent the pivot of the inner and outer locking members.These slits provide said vlast mentioned end .portion of the spring with-an intermediate flexible portion 62 and with lateral flexible portions64 (Figs. 5 and 6).. The ears or end portions 3B of the inner lockingmember 32 project transversely of the aids of its pivot on pin 3e 'havecamming edges 68 which are engaged by the adjacent lateral spring.portions 64:, and the outerlocking member 34 has a down turned endportion 68` which projects transversely of the axis ofpivot pin Si! .andis .provided with an edge .portion 'I0 of reduced width which `isf.resilient1y1engagedby intemiediatejspring portion 52 in .the,lockedposition of outer locking member 34. In the retracted position oflocking member 34 spring portion 62 engages the outer surface of portion68. Spring portions 64 and 62 thus hold the inner and outer lockingmembers in their projected and also in their retracted positions. Itwill be understood that when the locking mmbers 32 and 34 are in theirretracted or releasing positions, spring portions 52 and E4 hold the.locking members against relative movement and in the adjacent relationillustrated in Fig. 4 so that the attachable part I4 can be easilyapplied to and removed from the lock or connector i0, while on the otherhand, said spring portions oppose movement of the locking members fromthe closed or locking positions thereof to their unlocking positions andthus improve the safety characteristic of the lock. It will be notedthat the outer locking member is movable to its retracted or unlockingposition independently of the inner locking member and without impair-.ment of the action of spring 52 in holding the inner locking memberresiliently and releasably .in its projected or locking position. On`the other hand, the inner and outer locking members can be moved as aunitfrom their retracted positions to their .locking or projectedpositions, that Vis from the positions illustrated in Fig. 4 to thepositions illustrated in Fig. 3.

The end-connecting members I2 and I4 are preferably formed of sheetmetal and are constructed to provide a desirable degree of expansion andcontraction of the bracelet around the wearers wrist, ythis beingV vadesirable feature, particularly when the bracelet B itself which lsprovided with said end-connecting members is not elastic or expansible.Thus as here shown, the part 48 of the end-connecting member I4 isprovided with a coiled compression spring 'I2 which is disposed withinsaid part 4.8 andbears at one endthereof against the bent end 'I4 of.part 48 and Vat its opposite end against the cross bar Cross bars 46and I6 are integral with side bars 'I8 and form a link 80. Part 48 isformed in .one piece with an end `portion 82 having apertured ears 84which receive the ends of a pin 8B by which said part 82 is secured to`the adjacent end` of the Ybracelet B. VTheside bars T8 have integralguide portions 88 which project into the companion part through the open`sides thereof to provide forthe relative sliding of link and thecompanion part 48. It will be understood that theend-connecting memberI2 is of the same construction as the end-connecting member I4, asclearly illustrated in the drawings.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it will be understood that the latter may be embodiedotherwise than as herein specifically illustrated or described and thatin the embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, certain changes inthe details of construction and Ain the arrangement of parts may be madewithout departing from the underlying idea or principles .of theinvention within the scope' of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and, desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In a lock of the class described comprising a holding memberadaptedto have an attachable part removably connected therein, inner and outler locking members `pivotally connected kto vsaid holding memberadjacent the same end thereof and movable from locking positions inwhich they both over'le said attachable part 'to prevent disengagementthereof from said holding member, to retracted positions adjacent eachother to permit engagement with or disengagement of said attachable partfrom said holding member, and spring means common to and simultaneouslyengageable with said locking members adjacent the pivots thereof foryieldingly holding said lock ing members in their locking and retractedpositions, respectively.

2. In a lock of the class described comprising a holding member adaptedto have an attachable part removably connected therein, inner and outerlocking members pivotally connected to said holding member andco-axially turnable from locking positions in which they both overliesaid attachable part to prevent disengagement thereof from said holdingmember, to retracted positions adjacent each other to permit engagementwith or disengagement of said attachable part from said holding member,and spring means carried by said holding member and common to andsimultaneously engageable with said locking members adjacent the pivotsthereof for yieldingly holding said locking members in their locking andretracted positions, respectively.

3. In a lock of the class described comprising a holding member adaptedto have an attachable part removably connected therein, inner and outerlocking members pivotally connected to said holding member adjacent thesame end thereof and turnable from locking positions in which they bothoverlie said attachable part to prevent disengagement thereo from saidholding member to retracted positions adjacent each other to permitengagement with or disengagement of said attachable part from saidholding member, said locking members having end portions adjacent thepivots of said locking members projecting transversely of the axis ofsaid pivots, and spring means common to and simultaneously engaging saidend portions for yieldingly holding said locking members independentlyof each other in their locking and projected positions, respectively.

4. In a lock of the class described comprising a holding member adaptedto have an attachable part removably connected therein, inner and outerlocking members pivotally connected to said holding member and turnablefrom locking positions in which they overlie said attachable part toprevent disengagement thereof from said holding member, to retractedpositions to permit engagement with or disengagement of said attachablepart from said holding member, said holding member having a bottom, anda flat spring member positioned on said bottom and secured to one end ofsaid holding member, said hat spring member having an end portionmovable toward and away from said bottom and directly engageable withsaid inner and outer locking members simultaneously adjacent the pivotsthereof for yieldingly holding said locking members in their locking andretracted positions, respectively.

5. In a lock oi the class described comprising a holding member adaptedto have an attachable part removably connected therein, inner and outerlocking members pivotally connected to said holding member adjacent thesame end thereof and turnable from locking positions in which theyoverlie said attachable part to prevent disengagement thereof from saidholding member,

to retract-ed positons to permit engagement with or disengagement ofsaid attachable part from said holding member, said holding memberhaving a bottom, and a flat spring member positioned on said bottom andsecured to one end of said holding member, said at spring member havingan end portion movable toward and away from said bottom and directlyengageable with said inner and outer locking members simultaneouslyadjacent the pivots thereof for yieldingly holding said locking membersin their locking and retracted positons, respectively, said end portionof the spring member having slits therein providing an intermediate partand lateral parts independently flexible with respect to saidintermediate par-t, said intermediate part engaging one of said lockingmembers in said holding relation and said lateral parts engaging saidother locking member in said holding relation.

6. In a lock of the class described comprising a holding member adaptedto have an attachable part removably connected therein, innerand outerlocking members pivotally connected to said holding member and turnableabout a commo-n pivoted axis from locking positions in which theyoverlie said attachable part to prevent disengagement thereof from saidholding member, to retracted positions to permit engagement with ordisengagement of said attachable part from said holding member, saidlocking members having adjacent their pivots end portions projectingtransversely of the aXis of said pivots, said holding member having abottom, and a fiat spring member positioned on'said bottom and securedto one end of said holding member, said flat spring member having an endportion movable toward and away from said bottom, said end portion ofthe spring member having slits therein providing an intermediate partand lateral parts independently flexible with respect to saidintermediate part, said intermediate and lateral parts of said springmember directly engaging said end portions, respectively, of saidlocking members for yieldingly holding said locking members,respectively, in either of said positions thereof.

JACQUES KREISLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are oi record in the ille ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 881,970 `Spiro Mar. 17, 19081,037,086 Tusten Aug. 27, 1912 1,677,849l Roberts July 17, 19281,722,317 Samuels July 30, 1929 1,754,959 Matushenko Apr. 15, 19302,041,354 Kestenman May 19, 1936 2,044,869 Alkin June 23, 1936 2,058,957Dalo Oct. 27, 1936 2,186,438 Weiner Jan. 9, 1940 2,211,018 Levine Aug.13, 1940 2,418,218 Bauer et al Apr. 1, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 698,192 France Nov. 17, 1930 788,580 France July 29, 1935

